The invention relates to a method of operating a solar thermal power plant, in which a heat transfer medium is evaporated endothermally by solar radiation in an evaporator section, wherein the evaporator section comprises a plurality of evaporator branches, among which the heat transfer medium is distributed.
The invention further relates to a solar thermal power plant, comprising an evaporator section having a plurality of evaporator branches, in which heat transfer medium is evaporable endothermally by solar radiation.
In solar thermal power plants a heat transfer medium is heated by solar radiation. The thermal energy of the heat transfer medium is converted (partially) into mechanical energy in one or more turbines. At one or more generators the mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy. In this case, it is also possible for vaporous heat transfer medium to be used as process steam for example in a chemical plant.
There are solar thermal power plants, in which superheated steam is supplied to steam turbines, and solar thermal power plants that comprise gas turbines.